IN the manufacture of Cheddar cheese the curd granules fuse under gravity into solid blocks, usually 6–12 in. in thickness. At the same time some spreading or flow of the blocks takes place.

Its hard, dry texture and sharp flavor makes it a great cheese board staple as well ... but the interior features a gooey curd. It should be served whole at room temperature, preferably on ...

To see first hand how it is made, we went to Caseificio Andriese cheese factory in Bari, south Italy. It all starts from blocks of curd which are called "cagliata" in Italian: these come from milk ...